Ian McDonnell is a master of observation and detailed documentation, treating each of his artworks like an anthropological study. Yet while his work is immersed in contextual information and fact, it is always treated with a signature sympathetic humour. Ian was born in London, after graduating from London College of Printing he went on to work in New York and Los Angeles, since 2005 he has been happily living and working in London.

‘I once worked with an ad exec in New York who had the honor of having her skirt lifted by ‘Ham’ the first chimpanzee in space, she was on vacation in Florida, this chimp clearly had more charisma than Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin combined!’

-Ian Mcdonnell

‘Monkey Heaven’ is a combination of hand drawn portraits, mixed with contemporary illustrations. The copy is set in Gill Sans Regular. The piece was a 1 colour process, printed on a lithographic proofing press, there were two foil blockings made on this print, one for the banana angel wings and helmet detail and another for the star constellations.